Immersive Space Research Articles

Immersions of open Riemann surfaces into the Riemann sphere

In this paper we show that the space of holomorphic immersions from any given open Riemann surface into the Riemann sphere is weakly homotopy equivalent to the space of continuous maps from to the complement of the zero section in the tangent bundle of . It follows in particular that this space has path components, where is the number of generators of the first homology group . We also prove a parametric version of the Mergelyan approximation theorem for maps from Riemann surfaces to an arbitrary complex manifold, a result used in the proof of our main theorem.

The Mountain Refuge:Figure of Resistance, Space of Immersion, Heteropy in the Woods

Cet article essaie de comprendre comment le concept d'hétérotopie de Foucault peut contribuer à penser le rôle de cet espace autre, « l'utopie située » dans ce cas précis le refuge de montagne, c'est à dire une cabane primitive en altitude. L'articulation avec le premier sens du mot refuge, du latin refugium « action de se retrancher », « fuite », « asile », en tant que lieu où l'on se met en sûreté face au danger, soulève des questions sous-jacentes. En forme de livre d'artiste, manuscrit illustré, le premier de quatre volets, ces pages ont été écrites à 1.200 m d'altitude sur le Massif de l'Arize, dans le Parc Naturel Régional d'Ariège dans les Pyrénées. C'est une immersion dans la nature sauvage, l'habitat des « prédateurs apex » lynx et ours. La cabane représente également une figure de résistance, une réponse à l'urgence écologique (Montvalon) ; elle possède un pouvoir d'évocation poétique varié à l'infini. (Brun) Sans électricité, alimenté par l'eau de source, accessible seulement à pied, le refuge de montagne ne signifie pas seulement un abri, mais aussi « un espace dans le wilderness, une capsule pour voyager dans le temps, une demeure dans une vie plus simple ». (Bowman)

(en)CANTO ESCONDIDO

Este artigo resulta da reflexão sobre a construção da obra “(en)CANTO ESCONDIDO”, uma escultura/instalação que intervém in situ captando as relações dinâmicas entre materiais, paisagem e habitats de Coruche, em Portugal. O projeto apela às relações permeáveis entre natureza e cultura. O fluxo de presença/ausência dos animais que visitaram a escultura eram parte integrante da lógica da instalação. A obra pretendeu potenciar relações de observação dinâmicas em que o observador se tornava observado, constatando a sua evidente parte na natureza. “(en)CANTO ESCONDIDO” é simultaneamente um modelo de observatório urbano das migrações (insetos e pássaros) e uma construção arquitetural que invoca relações de convivência e partilha interespécie/intergeracional que incitam a interação e a descoberta de novas relações. A instalação pretendeu levar os observadores a um espaço de imersão, onde a realidade da natureza circundante se funde nas memórias e ficções de cada visitante. Foi uma experiência de partilha e um exercício estético e de reflexão sobre a sustentabilidade na nossa prática que se tornou uma experiência comunitária de partilha com imenso potencial narrativo e reflexivo.

New Complex Analytic Methods in the Study of Non-Orientable Minimal Surfaces in ℝⁿ

The aim of this work is to adapt the complex analytic methods originating in modern Oka theory to the study of non-orientable conformal minimal surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^n$ for any $n\ge 3$. These methods, which we develop essentially from the first principles, enable us to prove that the space of conformal minimal immersions of a given bordered non-orientable surface to $\mathbb{R}^n$ is a real analytic Banach manifold, obtain approximation results of Runge-Mergelyan type for conformal minimal immersions from non-orientable surfaces, and show general position theorems for non-orientable conformal minimal surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^n$. We also give the first known example of a properly embedded non-orientable minimal surface in $\mathbb{R}^4$; a Mobius strip. All our new tools mentioned above apply to non-orientable minimal surfaces endowed with a fixed choice of a conformal structure. This enables us to obtain significant new applications to the global theory of non-orientable minimal surfaces. In particular, we construct proper non-orientable conformal minimal surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^n$ with any given conformal structure, complete non-orientable minimal surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^n$ with arbitrary conformal type whose generalized Gauss map is nondegenerate and omits $n$ hyperplanes of $\mathbb{CP}^{n-1}$ in general position, complete non-orientable minimal surfaces bounded by Jordan curves, and complete proper non-orientable minimal surfaces normalized by bordered surfaces in $p$-convex domains of $\mathbb{R}^n$.

Subjugating Other Cultural Narratives in the Construction of Immersive Environments

This Paper feeds into the current transcultural debate surrounding tensions between the construction of immersive technologies within westernised paradigms. In the construction of immersive spaces, tech companies have unconsciously subjugated other cultural frameworks and perspectives. Safiya Umoja Noble’s term ‘technological redlining’ succinctly articulate this subjugation in her book ‘Algorithms of Oppression’ where she says ‘The power of algorithms in the age of neoliberalism and the ways those digital decisions reinforce oppressive social relationships and enact new modes of racial profiling, which I have termed technological redlining. By making visible the ways that capital, race, and gender are factors in creating unequal conditions, I am bringing light to various forms of technological redlining that are on the rise’. (Noble 2018: 01) These assumptions are systematic of what Jean-Paul Sartre referred to in the last century as Neocolonialism (Sartre 2001: 2). Political systems intentionally subjugating other cultural narratives, in order to impose colonial paradigms concerning social activity. These are still the dominant perspectives, still controlling global narratives. ‘Neocolonialism can be described as the subtle propagation of socio-economic and political activity by former colonial rulers aimed at reinforcing capitalism, neo-liberal globalization’. (Taiwo; Accessed 02/05/19) Umoja Noble highlights a key challenge to address this balance, which is in the construction of any digitised decision-making platform, the key point is to understand that all initial mathematical formulations that drive automated decision-making are made by human beings who exist in a specific socio-cultural context.

Labours of Seduction in Immersive and Interactive Performance

Much theatrical work that calls itself ‘immersive’ uses tropes of the erotic to achieve its intended effects. In this article Rose Biggin identifies structural and performative strategies in the use of the erotic in this genre. What does it mean to identify the process of performed seduction as central to much immersive dramaturgy? Through readings of contemporary productions that draw upon (or appropriate) pre-existing erotically charged environments, the inevitable responsibilities for makers working in this context of immersion are considered, as is the importance of considering the consequences for those working in immersive spaces. Stress is laid on the crucial role that this form of performative labour often plays in immersive performance, and a continued recognition of its influence is emphasized. Rose Biggin is an independent scholar and theatre artist based in London. She received her PhD from the University of Exeter, researching audience immersion and the work of Punchdrunk, and both writes and makes work on gender, history, and language. She is author of Immersive Theatre and Audience Experience (2017).

Closed surfaces with different shapes that are indistinguishable by the SRNF

The Square Root Normal Field (SRNF), introduced by Jermyn et al. in [5], provides a way of representing immersed surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^3$, and equipping the set of these immersions with a “distance function" (to be precise, a pseudometric) that is easy to compute. Importantly, this distance function is invariant under reparametrizations (i.e., under self-diffeomorphisms of the domain surface) and under rigid motions of $\mathbb{R}^3$. Thus, it induces a distance function on the shape space of immersions, i.e., the space of immersions modulo reparametrizations and rigid motions of $\mathbb{R}^3$. In this paper, we give examples of the degeneracy of this distance function, i.e., examples of immersed surfaces (some closed and some open) that have the same SRNF, but are not the same up to reparametrization and rigid motions. We also prove that the SRNF does distinguish the shape of a standard sphere from the shape of any other immersed surface, and does distinguish between the shapes of any two embedded strictly convex surfaces.

Modular reality: Analogues of patching in immersive space

Despite decades of virtual reality (VR) research, current creative workflows remain far from VR founder Jaron Lanier’s musically inspired dream of collaboratively ‘improvising reality’ from within. Drawing inspiration from modular synthesis as a distinctive musically immersed culture and practice, this article presents a new environment for visual programming within VR that supports live, fine-grained, multi-artist collaboration, through a new framework for operational transformations on graph structures. Although presently focused on audio synthesis, it is articulated as a first step along a path to synthesising worlds.

Development and Implementation of Projection-Based Installation in Gallery Space and Visitors Experience

In this paper, we present a projection-based installation designed for gallery-based exhibition. The installation system based on the Spatial Augmented Reality or known as "SAR," in which digital images were projected onto real objects or materials using projectors such as projection mapping techniques. This project studied the use of digital technology for gallery exhibition installation works to enrich and create an engaging audience's art experience through an immersive space created through SAR application. The study involved 79 youth who responded about their experience after viewing the projection-based installation work through a questionnaire survey. The findings show that the use of digital technology to the installation creates dreamlike scenes, imitating nature ambiance complemented with visuals and sound and well provides immersive experience among the visitors through the mixing of virtual images with real objects. The significance of this research on SAR application in exhibition artworks is essential to understand how it affects the audience's experience. The results are necessary as contributions for the development of innovative art mediums intended for gallery-based exhibitions and visitors' engagement, mainly targeted among the youth as the modern audience.

Studio Thinking Framework in Higher Education: Exploring Options for Shaping Immersive Experiences Across Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Curricula

With an increase in the number of colleges and universities using virtual reality and augmented reality integrated programs, specific insight for exploring immersive learning approaches utilizing virtual and augmented reality tools and applications in a variety of disciplines is needed. In some instances, pedagogical approaches for creating immersive learning experiences require a sound conceptual framework for course or content design with emphasis on developing opportunities for higher order thinking in virtual reality/augmented reality educational experiences. Public access data were used in this qualitative-directed content analysis study to examine course goals, objectives, and learning outcomes of 14 U.S. Artificial Intelligence universities as to the potential for developing creative and cognitive skills, as described within the pedagogical framework of Studio Thinking Framework. Findings indicated multiple opportunities for creative and cognitive thinking as Studio Thinking Framework was integrated into these immersive spaces.

ВЫСТАВОЧНОЕ ПРОСТРАНСТВО КАК СРЕДА ДЛЯ ДИАЛОГА КЛАССИЧЕСКОЙ СКУЛЬПТУРЫ И СОВРЕМЕННОГО ИСКУССТВА

The article is devoted to the dialogue between classical sculpture and an exhibition of modern art. The author highlights the art practice of environment, which became particularly popular in the second half of the XX - early XXI century as the main tool for creating the artistic synthesis of classical sculpture and exposition, which leads to the appearance of special immersive spaces. As a part of the study, several exhibition projects are considered, which have included samples of sculptures from past eras in their conceptions. The study identifies the features of the synthesis of the old and the new in art within the framework of exhibition and museum activity, analyses approaches to the creation of a temporary exhibition, examines the peculiarities of the relationship of classical art of sculpture and modern works in the single artistic field.

Efficient Peer-to-Peer Content Sharing for Learning in Virtual Worlds

Virtual world technologies provide new and immersive space for learning, training, and education. They are enabled by the content creation and content sharing function for allowing users to create and interoperate various learning objects. Unfortunately, virtual world content sharing based on persistent virtual world content storage, to the best of our knowledge, does not exist. In this paper, we address this problem by proposing a content sharing scheme based on Virtual Net, a virtual world persistency framework. For efficient content retrieval, three strategies have been proposed to reduce communication overhead and content load this http URL integrating these strategies, a virtual world content search and retrieval algorithm has been devised. The experiment results verify the effectiveness of the algorithm.

Sound and Fury: Bringing Dolby Atmos to the NHRA

The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) approached Dolby Laboratories in early 2017 to explore what value immersive audio might bring to the NHRA’s television broadcasts. After site visits, audio captures, video production analysis, and production tests, a hybrid production strategy leveraging conventional live and cinematic post-production methodologies using both the static placement of objects and the dynamic panning of audio objects in the immersive space and in realtime was employed. This approach took advantage of the relatively predictable nature of each NHRA drag race to enable the use of live, dynamically panned audio objects combined with statically panned objects like ambience and crowd paired with substantial use of audio scene changes. This hybrid live/post approach to the creation of live Dolby Atmos immersive audio experiences could be used as a model for other sports and exposes opportunities for a measure of automated audio production control through the capture and use of telemetry data from spider-cams, jib-cams, and the participants themselves.

Inclusive Design for Immersive Spaces

It is vital when creating learning environments that attention is paid towards individuals using a given space, activities that they will carry out, and the available equipment that will facilitate this. It is also important that these spaces are created to be inclusive to all and to remove accessibility barriers that are caused by the designed environment. Our aim is to understand how technology can be used to inform design processes for creating educational spaces by collaborating with the primary users of this space: students. This paper is organised in three main sections. Firstly, we identify changes that academics have suggested in how designing for inclusive augmented and virtual-reality environments should be practised. Secondly, we present a workshop entitled Designing for Immersive Spaces. Finally, we discusses the implications of the issues raised and the practical constraints and difficulties of implementing Inclusive Design for Immersive Spaces that is being called for.

Designing the Threshold: A Close Reading of Olafur Eliasson’s Approach to ‘Inside’ and ‘Outside’

This article discusses Icelandic installation artist Olafur Eliasson’s approach of the threshold as a productive liminal space rather than as a static boundary between the inside and the outside. Often defined as the physical division between the interior and the exterior in architecture, the authors argue that by looking at Eliasson’s works in detail, the threshold’s inherent capacity of comprising a dynamic dialogue between inside and outside where one is determined by the other unfolds. This paper proposes that designing the relationships between inside and outside involves subtle renegotiations and redefinitions of conventionalised notions of their boundaries and a resultant emergence of new design strategies.
 Eliasson designs thresholds in diverse ways that he analyses and provokes the spatial associations between inside and outside, interior and exterior. While in Eliasson`s work the categories of inside and outside remain mutually exclusive, they physically co-exist at the same time; deliberately refracted, juxtapositioned, connected or confounded in an experimental yet rigorous approach that employs different scales and common characteristics. Seventeen of his works are analysed and grouped into four different threshold design strategies that result in an object, an association, an event and an immersive space.

Predicting Sense of Presence and Sense of Community in Immersive Online Learning Environments

This study is based on survey research conducted between 2010 and 2017, involving 1053 graduate students using immersive online learning environments for their coursework. Investigators used course structural factors and student engagement factors to predict students’ perceptions of community and presence in the online immersive space. Utilizing the Sense of Community II index (SCI-2) and the Community of Inquiry survey (COI) median scores as cut scores for predicted outcomes, researchers demonstrated that purely online environments which encouraged student engagement in the online immersive space can enhance sense of presence and sense of community. In addition, students in graduate programs that used online immersive delivery methods longer developed a stronger sense of community. Both dependent measures proved to have stable subscale structures for this inquiry based on a cursory confirmatory factor analysis

An immersive space liquid bridge experiment system with gesture interaction and vibrotactile feedback

An immersive space liquid bridge experiment system with gesture interaction and vibrotactile feedback

Visitors in immersive museum spaces and Instagram: self, place-making, and play

Visitors to museums are increasingly drawn to posting images online that document and reflect their experience. Instagram, as a social media platform, has a proliferating presence in this context. Do different kinds of public spaces within the museum motivate people to share particular types of posts? What kind of posts do visitors generate from digitally immersive spaces with an interactive focus? These questions were unpacked through an exploration of data generated from a digitally immersive, interactive public space – the Immersion Room at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. Findings indicate that constructs of self, place-making, and play constitute critical components of what occurs, and these aspects are amplified in immersive spaces leaving digital traces within social media. I argue that the intersection of immersive digital environments and visual social media platforms such as Instagram offer a moment to play with and subtlety reconstruct the self with place being a significant contextual frame for this activity. Implications extend and challenge perceptions and the role of both museums as public spaces and the ways in which visual forms of social media intersect with spaces and the people who use them.

Online Learning Meets Mixed-Reality Immersive Spaces: Result Increased Learning

Online learning in higher education is no longer an anomaly. The majority of American college courses include some digital components, and fully online degree programs are ubiquitous throughout all disciplines. The delivery format of online courses is particularly in line with the needs of the adult learner who often faces challenges of balancing work, family, and graduate coursework. While flexibility is an appealing aspect to online courses, the question of how to engage learners in meaningful, collaborative knowledge-creation remains. Innovative developments in technology provide support in the search for the answer. A small, private university in the southeastern United States employed the use of mixed-reality simulations to increase student-to-student engagement and to encourage the transfer of skills between the classroom and the real-world setting. Students enrolled in an introductory qualitative research course applied the theoretical concepts foundational to conducting effective focus groups through the use of a simulated middle school classroom environment with six student participants (avatars). Using a web conferencing tool that enabled all participants (and the course instructor) to see and be seen during individual focus group sessions, collaborative, shared experiences became the central feature of what students described as an important experience. Innovative tools such as mixed-reality immersive environments provide faculty from a range of disciplines to engage online students in experiences in which the online platform supports and extends meaningful learning.

The moduli spaces of equivariant minimal surfaces in {mathbb {RH}}^3 and mathbb {RH}^4 via Higgs bundles

In this article we introduce a definition for the moduli space of equivariant minimal immersions of the Poincaré disc into a non-compact symmetric space, where the equivariance is with respect to representations of the fundamental group of a compact Riemann surface of genus at least two. We then study this moduli space for the non-compact symmetric space mathbb {RH}^n and show how SO_0(n,1)-Higgs bundles can be used to parametrise this space, making clear how the classical invariants (induced metric and second fundamental form) figure in this picture. We use this parametrisation to provide details of the moduli spaces for mathbb {RH}^3 and mathbb {RH}^4, and relate their structure to the structure of the corresponding Higgs bundle moduli spaces.